第1章
“Forty-Love。“
“Game！andSet。Sixtotwo。“
Arippleofcheersranroundthecourt，followedbyabuzzofexcitedconversation。
Theyoungmensmiledateachotherandattheirfriendsonthesidelinesandproceededtochangecourtsforthenextset，pausingforrefreshmentsontheway。
“Muchtoolazy，CaptainJack。Iamquiteoutofpatiencewithyou，“criedayounggirlwhosebrowneyesweredancingwithmockindignation。
CaptainJackturnedwithaslightlyboredlookonhisthindarkface。
“Toolazy，Frances？“drawledhe。“Ibelieveyou。Butthinkofthetemperature。“
“Youhavehumiliatedmedreadfully，“shesaidseverely。
“Humiliatedyou？Youshockme。Buthow，pray？“CaptainJack’seyesopenedwide。
“You，aCanadian，andourbestplayer——atleast，youusedtobe——toallowyourselftobebeatenbya——a——“sheglancedathisopponentwithadefiantsmile——“aforeigner。“
“Oh！Isay，MissFrances，“exclaimedthatyoungman。
“Aforeigner？“exclaimedCaptainJack。“BetternotletAdrienhearyou。“Heturnedtowardatallfairgirlstandingnear。
“What’sthat？“saidthegirl。“DidIheararight？“
“Well，he’snotaCanadian，Imean，“saidFrances，stickingtoherguns。“Besides，Ican’tstandAdriencrowingoverme。SheisalreadyfartooEnglish，don-che-know。YouhavegivenheronemoreoccasionfortriumphoverusColonials。“
“Ah，thisisserious，“saidCaptainJack。“Butreallyitistoohotyouknowfor——whatshallIsay？——Internationalcomplications。“
“Jack，youareplainlazy，“saidFrances。“Youknowyouare。Youdon’tdeservetowin，butifyoureallywouldputyourbackintoit——“
“Oh，come，Frances。Why！Youdon’tknowthatmycousinplayedforhisCollegeatOxford。Andthatissayingsomething，“saidAdrien。
“Thereyouare，Jack！That’sthesortofthingIhavetolivewith，“saidFrances。“Shethinksthatsettleseverything。“
“Well，doesn’titrather？“smiledAdrien。
“Oh，Jack，ifyouhaveanyregardforyourcountry，nottosaymyunworthyself，won’tyouhumbleher？“imploredFrances。“Ifyouwouldonlybuckup！“
“Hewillneedto，eh，Adrien？“saidayoungfellowstandingnear，slowlysippinghisdrink。
“Ithinkso。Indeed，Iamquitesureofit，“coollyrepliedthegirladdressed。“ButIreallythinkitisquiteuseless。“
“Ha！Ha！Cheerup，Jack，“laughedtheyoungman，Stillwellbyname。
“Really，oldchap，IfeelImustbeatyouthisset，“saidCaptainJacktotheyoungEnglishman。“Mycountry’screditaswellasmyownisatstake，yousee。“
“Botharefairlyassured，Ishouldsay，“saidtheEnglishman。
“Notto-day，“saidStillwell，withasuspicionofapolitesneerinhisvoice。“Mymoneysaysso。“
“Canadavs。theOldCountry！“criedavoicefromthecompany。
“Now，Jack，Jack，remember，“imploredFrances。
“Youhavenomercy，MissFrances，Isee，“saidtheEnglishman，lookingstraightintohereyes。
“Absolutelynone，“shereplied，smilingsaucilyathim。
“Vaevictis，eh，oldchap？“saidSidney，astheysaunteredofftogethertotheirrespectivecourts。“Bytheway，whoisthatStillwellchap？“heaskedinalowvoiceofCaptainJackastheymovedawayfromtheothers。“Ofanyparticularimportance？“
“Ithinkyou’vegothimallright，“repliedJackcarelessly。TheEnglishmannodded。
“Hesomehowgetsmygoat，“saidJack。TheEnglishmanlookedmystified。
“Rubsmethewrongway，youknow。“
“Oh，verygood，verygood。Imustrememberthat。“
“Heratherfancieshisowngame，too，“saidJack，“andhehascomeonthelastyearortwo。Inmorewaysthanone，“headdedasanafterthought。
AstheyfacedeachotheronthecourtitwasStillwell’svoicethatrangout:
“Nowthen，England！“
“Canada！“criedagirl’svoicethatwaseasilyrecognisedasthatofFrancesAmory。
“Thumbsdown，eh，Maitland？“saidtheEnglishman，wavingahandtowardhischarmingenemy。
Whateverthecause，whetherfromthespursuppliedbytheyoungladywhohadconstitutedherselfhischampionorfromthestingfromthemanforwhomforreasonssufficientforhimselfhehadonlyfeelingsofhostilityanddislike，thegameputupbyCaptainJackwasofquiteadifferentbrandfromthathehadpreviouslyfurnished。Fromthefirstservicehetooktheoffensiveandthroughoutplayedbrilliant，aggressive，evensmashingtennis，somuchsothathisopponentappearedtobealmostoutclassedandattheclosethefiguresofthefirstsetwereexactlyreversed，standingsixtotwoinCaptainJack’sfavour。
Thewarmthofthecheersthatfollowedattestedthepopularityofthewin。
“Myword，oldchap，thatistop-holetennis，“saidtheEnglishman，warmlycongratulatinghim。
“Luck，oldboy，brilliantluck！“saidCaptainJack。“Couldn’tdoitagainforabet。“
“Youmustdoitjustoncemore，“saidFrances，comingtomeettheplayers。“Oh，youdearoldthing。Comeandberefreshed。Hereisthelongest，coolestthingindrinksthisClubaffords。Andoneforyou，too，“sheadded，turningtotheEnglishman。“Youplayedagreatgame。“
“DidInot？Iwasatthetopofmyform，“saidtheEnglishmangallantly。“Butallinvain，asyousee。“
“Nowforthefinal，“criedFranceseagerly。
“Dearlady，“saidCaptainJack，affectingsupremeexhaustion，“asyouaremighty，bemerciful！Letitsufficethatweappeartohavegivenyouanexpositionoffairlyrespectabletennis。Iamquitedone。“
“Agreatwin，Jack，“saidAdrien，offeringherhandincongratulation。
“Allflukescount，eh，Maitland？“laughedStillwell，unableinspiteofhislaughtokeepthebiteoutofhisvoice。
“Fluke？“exclaimedtheEnglishmaninaslowdrawlingvoice。“I
callitrippinggoodtennis，ifIamajudge。“
Amurmurofapprovalranthroughthecompany，crowdingaboutwithcongratulationstobothplayers。
“Oh，ofcourse，ofcourse，“saidStillwell，notingthecriticismofhisunsportsmanlikeremark。“WhatImeanis，Maitlandisclearlyoutofcondition。IfhewerenotIwouldn’tmindtakinghimonmyself，“headdedwithanotherlaugh。
“Now，doyoumean？“saidCaptainJacklazily。
“Wewillwaittillthematchisplayedout，“saidStillwellwitheasyconfidence。“Someotherday，whenyouareinshape，eh？“headded，smilingatMaitland。
“Nowifyoulike，orafterthematch，oranyoldtime，“saidCaptainJack，lookingatStillwellwithhardgrey，unsmilingeyes。
“Iunderstandyouhavecomeuponyourgameduringthewar。“
Stillwell’sfaceburnedafuriousredatthelittlelaughthatwentroundamongCaptainJack’sfriends。
“Frankly，Ihavehadenoughforto-day，“saidtheEnglishmantoJack。
“Allright，oldchap，ifyoudon’treallymind。ThoughIfeelyouwouldcertainlytaketheoddset。“
“Notabitofit，byJove。Iamquitesatisfiedtoletitgoatthat。Wewillhaveanothergosometime。“
“Anytimethatsuitsyou——to-morrow，eh？“
“To-morrowbeit，“saidtheEnglishman。
“Now，then，Stillwell，“saidCaptainJack，withacurtnodathim。
“Wheneveryouareready。“
“Oh，come，Maitland。Iwasonlyjoshing，youknow。Youdon’twanttoplaywithmeto-day，“saidStillwell，notrelishingthelookonMaitland’sface。“Wecanhaveasetanytime。“
“No！“saidMaitlandshortly。“It’snowornever。“
“Oh，allright，“saidStillwell，withanuneasylaugh，goingintotheClubhouseforhisracquet。
TheproposedmatchhadbroughtanewatmosphereintotheClubhouse，anatmosphereofcontestwithallthefunleftout。
“Idon’tlikethisatall，“saidamanwithirongreyhairanddeeplytannedface。
“Onecan’twellobject，Russell，“saidayoungerman，evidentlyafriendofStillwell’s。“Maitlandbroughtiton，andIhopehegetsmightywelltrimmed。Heisaltogethertoohighandmightythesedays。“
“Oh，Idon’tagreewithyouatall，“brokeinFrances，inavoicecoldlyproper。“YouheardwhatMr。Stillwellsaid？“
“Well，notexactly。“
“Ah，Imighthaveguessedyouhadnot，“answeredtheyounglady，turningaway。
Edwardslookedfoolishlyrounduponthecircleofmenwhostoodgrinningathim。
“Nowwillyoubegood？“saidayoungsterwhohadledthelaughatEdwards’expense。
“Whatthedevilareyoulaughingat，Menzies？“heaskedhotly。
“Why，don’tyouseethejoke？“enquiredMenziesinnocently。“Well，carryon！Youwillto-morrow。“
Edwardsgrowledoutanoathandtookhimselfoff。
Meantimethematchwasmakingfuriousprogress，withthefury，itmustbeconfessed，confinedtoonesideonlyofthenet。CaptainJackwasplayingadriving，ruthlessgame，snatchingandemployingwithoutmercyeveryadvantagethathecouldlegitimatelyclaim。Hedeliveredhisservicewithdeadlyprecision，followingupatthenetwithasmashingreturn，whichlefthisopponenthelpless。Hisaggressivetacticsgavehisopponentalmostnoopportunitytoscore，andhekeptthepacegoingattheheightofhisspeed。Theonlookersweredividedintheirsentiments。StillwellhadastrongfollowingofhisownwhoexpressedtheirfeelingsbytheirsilenceatJack’sbrilliantstrokesandtheirloudapprovalofStillwell’sgoodworkwhenhegavethemopportunity，whilemanyofMaitland’sfriendsdeprecatedhistacticsandmoreespeciallyhisspirit。
AtwhirlwindpaceCaptainJackmadethefirstthreegamesa“love“
score，leavinghisopponentdazed，bewilderedwithhissmashingplayandblindwithrageathiscontemptuousbearing。
“IthinkImustgohome，Frances，“saidAdrientoherfriend，herfacepale，herheadcarriedhigh。
Francesseizedherbythearmanddrewhertooneside。
“Adrien，youmustnotgo！Yousimplymustnot！“shesaidinalowtensevoice。“Itwillbemisunderstood，and——“
“Iamgoing，Frances，“saidherfriendinacold，clearvoice。“I
havehadenoughtennisforthisafternoon。WhereisSidney？Ah，thereheisacrossthecourt。No！Letmego，Frances！“
“Yousimplymustnotgolikethatinthemiddleofagame，Adrien。
Waitatleasttillthisgameisover，“saidherfriend，clutchinghardatherarm。
“Verywell。LetusgotoSidney，“saidAdrien。
Togethertheymadetheirwayroundthecourtalmostwhollyunobserved，sointentwasthecrowduponthestrugglegoingonbeforethem。AsthegamefinishedAdrienlaidherhanduponhercousin’sarm。
“Haven’tyouhadenoughofthis？“shesaid。Hervoicecarriedclearacrossthecourt。
“Whatd’yesay？ByJove，no！“saidhercousininajoyousvoice。
“ThisisthemostcheeringthingI’veseenformanymoons，Adrien。
Eh，what？Oh，Ibegpardon，areyouseedy？“headdedglancingather。“Oh，certainly，I’llcomeatonce。“
“Notatall。Don’tthinkofit。Ihaveacalltomakeonmywayhome。Pleasedon’tcome。“
“But，Adrien，Isay，thiswillbeovernowinafewminutes。Can’tyoureallywait？“
“No，Iamnotintheleastinterestedinthis——thiskindoftennis，“shesaidinaboredvoice。
Hertone，pitchedratherhigherthanusual，carriedtotheearsoftheplayerswhowerechangingendsatthemoment。Bothofthemenglancedather。Stillwell’sfaceshowedswiftgratitude。OnJack’sfacetheshadowdarkenedbutexceptforaslightstraighteningofthelineofhislipshegavenosign。
“Youarequitesureyoudon’tcare？“saidSidney。“Youdon’twantme？Thisreallyisgreat，youknow。“
“NotforworldswouldIdragyouaway，“saidAdrieninacool，clearvoice。“Franceswillkeepyoucompany。“Sheturnedtoherfriend。“Lookafterhim，Frances，“shesaid。“Good-bye。Dinneratsevento-night，youknow。“
“Right-o！“saidSidney，raisinghishatinfarewell。“ByJove，I
wouldn’tmissthisformillions，“hecontinued，makingroomforFrancesbesidehim。“Youryoungfriendisreallysomewhatviolentinhisstyle，eh，what？“
“Therearetimeswhenviolenceistheonlypossiblething，“repliedFrancesgrimly。
“Bytheway，whoisthevictim？Imean，whatisheexactly？“
“Mr。Stillwell？Oh，heisthesonofhisfather，thebiggestmerchantinBlackwater。Oh，lovely！Beautifulreturn！Jackissimplyawayabovehisform！Andsomethingofamerchantandfinancieronhisownaccount，tobequitefair。Makingmoneyfastandusingitwisely。ButI’mnotgoingtotalkabouthim。YouseealotofhimabouttheRectory，don’tyou？“
“Well，something，“repliedSidney。“Ican’tquiteunderstandthesituation，Iconfess。Tobequitefrank，Idon’tcottonmuchtohim。Abitsweetish，eh，what？“
“Yes，attheRectorydoubtless。Iwouldhardlyattributetohimasweetdisposition。Oh，quittalkingabouthim。Hehadflatfeetinthewar，Ithinkitwas。Jack’stwinbrotherwaskilled，youknow——andmine——well，youknowhowmineis。“